Just pretend it has a stamp on it!

I had every intention of sending out Christmas cards this year. But then December just kind of happened and it was too late, which makes me sad. So, here it is: what my Christmas card might have looked like had you gotten it all postmarked and everything. It probably would have looked absolutely nothing like that to tell you the truth, but I kind of fell in love with decorating that cute little evergreen and it was all over from there. Now that I think about it, that tree might just take all the attention away from our family picture...but heck, I can share my space with a tree.

Anyway, were I to have sent you a Christmas card this year, it probably would have included these highlights:

Everett

"Had a Ball" at his 2nd birthday party surrounded by family

Moved out of California and had his first airplane trip in one swoop

Went on a special father/son trip to Chicago to meet his great-grandmother, Mum

In his words: "Wook Mom, I big. I grow uped!" That pretty much sums up his year!

But one more cute quotable:

Me: You want to be a doctor when you grow up?

Ev: Yeah. I be a big doctah. I be Doctah Seuss.

Talmage

Spent the 1st half of the year obsessed with CalTrain, and the 2nd half obsessed with the Subway

Mourned hard core about leaving Stanford, but quickly fell in love with Central Park

Taught himself to read, loves to do math, and asks more questions than any kid you know!

Gave his first talk in primary (written himself, completely memorized and delivered beautifully!) and afterwards we had this conversation:

Me: How did it feel to give your first talk?

T: I cried.

Me: Why did you cry?

T: Because I'm just so proud of myself!

We are obviously proud of him as well!

Heather

Ran her first, and possibly last, 1/2 marathon!

Found a fabulous apartment in the perfect part of town and successfully set up shop for our family's newest New York adventure

Fulfilled a lifelong dream by seeing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person (with front row seats thanks to the best husband ever!)
Fills her time teaching T's co-op preschool, adding celebrities to her "ha! I've seen 'em!" list, doing just about every free and child-friendly thing in the city, writing to stay sane and being truly, truly grateful for her blessings

 

James

Participated in the first ever Religious Liberty Clinic at Stanford (and was quoted in the NYT to boot)

Graduated from Stanford Law School

Passed the California State Bar--woot! woot!

Began his clerkship at the Court of International Trade in NYC and is loving federal employee hours!